All the Love in the World
by SleetandRain
Summary: Sometimes the worst disasters turn out to be the greatest blessings.
1. Chapter 1

**Durham, North Carolina**

**July 9, 2010**

"Why do I always get left behind to babysit?" asked Kristen, as her sister came in to put her coat on.

"Because it's Shaina's birthday, and we're taking her to a bar, and you, my baby sister, are too young to grace us with your presence." said Meghan, smiling.

"Why do you have to take her to a bar? If you took her out to dinner, you could bring your kids." said Kristen.

"And that is exactly why we're going to a bar. Grown-up time. So, enjoy your kid time. Don't let Mal stay up too late." said Meghan.

"You're mean." said Kristen.

"You love me." said Meghan.

"No—I love my niece and nephew. I tolerate you." said Kristen.

"You'll get to come along with us grown-ups in a few years. But for now, you get to be a fake adult. The kind that can only buy lottery tickets and cigarettes." said Meghan.

"I hate being the baby of the family." whined Kristen.

"Chin-up. It's nice to be as young as you are right now." said Meghan, smiling.

"Have fun while you're out." said Kristen.

"I'm sure we will. Take good care of my kids." said Meghan.

"You know I will." said Kristen.

"They adore you, you know. And I love you for that." said Meghan, wrapping her arms around her sister.

"I love you, too, Meg." said Kristen, softly.

**Later that same evening…**

"Quick, to space shuttle!" shouted Mallory, running into the living room with a bowl on her head.

"Aye-ay, Cap'n. Where to?" asked Kristen, scooping the little girl up onto the couch.

"Mars. We have to capture the evil Dr. Eth-monster." said Mallory, giggling.

"Roger that, but, Captain?" asked Kristen.

"Yes, Lieutenant?" asked Mallory.

"I think Dr. Eth-monster is sleeping." said Kristen.

"It's easier to capture a sleeping person than an awake person." said Mallory.

"But, what if he wakes up, Captain?" asked Kristen.

"That's where you come in. You make him stop crying." said Mallory.

"But if we don't capture him and wake him up in the first place, there will be no crying to deal with." said Kristen.

"But if we don't capture Dr. Eth-monster, who can we capture on Mars?" asked Mallory.

"How about the maniacal—the terrifying—" said Kristen, before Mallory cut her off.

"Giant Caspian!" shouted Mallory.

"The Giant Caspian's native territory is up in the trees. Shall we go hunt for him?" asked Kristen, standing up as Mallory jumped onto her back.

"Onward, Lieutenant." said Mallory, holding onto Kristen's shoulders. Kristen raced the up the stairs, Mallory chatting all the way, when they reached a dark room with a closed door.

"Is the Giant Caspian in there?" asked Mallory, knocking on the door.

"I do believe so." said Kristen.

"Let's do this!" said Mallory, giggling. With that, Kristen opened the door, to reveal a seemingly empty bedroom.

"He's gone." whispered Kristen, setting her niece down on the floor as she closed the door.

"Giant Caspian, come out, come out, wherever you are." called Mallory, walking around the room, until she stopped. Something under the covers of the bed moved.

"I think he's right there." said Mallory, running over to Kristen.

"What do you think? Should I capture him, Captain?" asked Kristen, looking down at Mallory.

"Yes. Get him, Lieutenant." said Mallory. Quickly, Kristen reached into the bed covers to pull out a little black Labrador puppy.

"You got him! That's the Evil Giant Caspian!" shouted Mallory, smiling.

"What shall we do with him?" asked Kristen, bending down so Mallory could pet him. Just then, the phone rang.

"Hold that thought—can you watch Caspian for a moment while I get the phone?" asked Kristen, setting the little puppy in Mallory's lap. Smiling, Mallory nodded, petting the little dog. Kristen ran over to answer the telephone.

"Hello? Yes—this is she? They what? No. Are you—are you sure? I can't leave—I have Meghan and David's kids here with me. Yeah, I was babysitting so they could take my sister out to the Tavern for her birthday. You need me to come to the hospital now? But what to I tell the kids? No—no, I understand. Yeah, we'll be there. Okay. Bye." said Kristen, hanging up the phone. Slowly, she felt her feet let go underneath her.

"Aunt Kristen? Why are you crying?" asked Mallory, looking over at her aunt.

"Mommy, Daddy, Nana, Papa, Uncle Will, and Aunt Shay are hurt and we have to go meet them at the hospital, and I'm just sad, and a little bit scared." said Kristen.

** "**Are they going to be okay?" asked Mallory, lip quivering.

"No—no, Mal, they're not." said Kristen.

**Durham, North Carolina**

**July 10, 2010**

Kristen looked around her brother's hospital room, sighing. In the bed lay William, hopelessly sedated, and Mallory, nestled next to him, asleep. Ethan slept on a blanket on the floor. Kristen hadn't slept. She had spent the evening identifying bodies, signing organ donation affidavits…she hadn't had a chance to process exactly what was happening to her family. She was about to take a break when the door opened, and an older man walked in.

"You must be Kristen—I'm Larry Holmes, your sister and brother-in-law's lawyer. I wanted to speak with you about their will." said the man.

"What's there to discuss?" asked Kristen, softly.

"Custody of Miss. Mallory Elizabeth and Mr. Ethan Christopher." said the man.

"Who—who did Meg and David leave the kids to?" asked Kristen.

"There was a long chain of people—firstly, they left the children to your parents. Next was your sister, Shaina, and then your brother, William. Then, Miss. Naughton, they left her to you. The final clause stipulated that if you were all incapable or unwilling to take on the children, you were all to select someone in the state registry of adoptive parents to raise the children." said the man.

"So, either I give up everything and take those kids in, or I choose someone from a registry to leave them with?" asked Kristen.

"Exactly." said the man.

"If I took them in, I wouldn't be able to go to school in the fall—it just wouldn't happen for me. Meg—school was so important to her. She would never, ever forgive me if I didn't go. And I wouldn't be able to take care of those kids if I got a job without a college degree. Meg and David were going to be doctors—they were smack in the middle of their residencies. They were going to give their kids the world, and I just wouldn't be able to do that. Not for a long time." said Kristen.

"Then, I guess we'll be going through the state registry." said the man.

"I'll go through the registry, but if I don't find anyone that I approve of, they'll stay with me, indefinitely." said Kristen, softly.

**Durham, North Carolina**

**July 15, 2010**

"What are you doing?" asked Mallory, climbing into Kristen's lap as she sat at the computer.

"Just reading. How are you doing, Mal?" asked Kristen, kissing the little girl's hair.

"I'm just sad. Can you just hold me?" asked Mallory, leaning into Kristen.

"Sure, bug. I can do that." said Kristen, wrapping an arm around the girl before continuing to read. She'd spent days pouring over the registry, and she'd settled on one profile of a woman in Tree Hill. Reaching for the phone, she dialed the number of the lawyer, Mr. Holmes.

"Hello—yes. We're doing okay—yeah, I've been better. I did—Brooke Davis, from Tree Hill. Yeah, she sounds the most like Meg and David, and that's what I want for them. Yes, okay—tomorrow at noon sounds great. Thank you." said Kristen, hanging up the phone.

"What are we doing tomorrow at noon?" asked Mallory, looking up at Kristen.

"We're meeting a nice woman, Brooke, so we can see if she'd be a good person to watch over you and Ethan." said Kristen, softly.

"But what about you?" asked Mallory.

"Oh, Mal—I'm just Aunt Kristen. I'm too young to raise you guys. Brooke can give you the world, and I just can't." said Kristen, softly.

"I don't care. I just want to be with you." said Mallory.

"I know, and I'd love to be with you, too, but sometimes, we have to make decisions that are hard and seem so wrong when we make them, but later, when we look back, they were the best decisions we ever made. And that's what having you and Ethan live with Miss. Brooke will be—a hard decision, but a good one." said Kristen.

"Promise?" asked Mallory, softly.

"I promise. I love you, Mal." said Kristen, kissing the little girl's cheek.

"Love you more." said Mallory, giggling.

"That's not possible." said Kristen, softly.


	2. Chapter 2

**Durham, North Carolina**

**July 16, 2010**

Kristen sat in the small meeting room, Ethan in her arms, and Mallory in the chair next to her, fiddling with the hem of her dress. They sat, in silence, waiting for Ms. Davis and the lawyers. Then, the door opened.

"There you are. How are you three doing?" asked Mr. Holmes, smiling.

"We're doing okay." said Kristen, softly.

"I'm glad. Now, there's someone I think you all would like to meet—Mrs. Davis, come in." beckoned Mr. Holmes, and slowly, a young woman entered the room. Kristen stood up, and Mallory climbed down to stand at her side.

"Mrs. Davis—this is Kristen, Mallory, and Ethan. Kristen, Mallory—this is Brooke Davis." said Mr. Holmes.

"It's a pleasure to meet you." said Kristen, shifting the baby into her left arm before extending a hand.

"It's lovely to meet you, too. I'm sorry my husband couldn't make it—this was an unexpected gift, and he's out in Los Angeles for the week for business." said Brooke, smiling as she shook Kristen's hand, before bending down to Mallory's level.

"And you must be Miss. Mallory. I'm Brooke. It's nice to meet you." said Brooke, offering a hand to the little girl.

"It's nice to meet you, too." said Mallory, softly, shaking Brooke's hand.

The meeting with the lawyers and Brooke went well, with Mallory warming up quickly to Brooke. Even Ethan was at ease as Brooke rocked the baby in her arms.

"I really enjoyed meeting the three of you today—when do you go back to school, Kristen?" asked Brooke, as she stood to leave.

"It's high school—I go back whenever." said Kristen, rolling her eyes.

"Wait—how old are you?" asked Brooke.

"I turned eighteen in September." said Kristen, softly.

"And what are you going to do if I take Mallory and Ethan with me?" asked Brooke.

"I'll get on with my life, I suppose." said Kristen, shrugging.

"No—where will you live?" asked Brooke, sitting back down.

"I was planning on selling my parent's place and getting an apartment or something in Durham." said Kristen.

"But you'll live by yourself?" asked Brooke.

"Yes." said Kristen, averting her eyes.

"If you'd like to, I'd love to have you come live in Tree Hill with Mallory and Ethan and I, until you head off to college at the very least." said Brooke.

"Oh, I couldn't…you don't need any more responsibility than I'm already imposing on you." said Kristen.

"It would be nothing—besides, I'm sure Mallory would love to have you there." said Brooke.

"I'm sure Mallory would, but I—it will make it harder for me in the long run." said Kristen.

"Harder how?" asked Brooke.

"Harder to let them go." said Kristen, softly.

"You promised." said Mallory, lip quivering as she turned to Kristen.

"I promised you that living with Brooke would be the right decision for you, bug, but not for me." said Kristen, taking Mallory's hand.

"It could be." said Mallory, tears threatening to fall.

"It's not, Mal. It can't be." said Kristen.

"But I want you to." said Mallory, climbing into Kristen's lap.

"We want you to." said Brooke, smiling.

"I've got to look at the big picture, guys—and you do, too. I'd leave in the fall for school, and I wouldn't be able to look back. After all, you are adopting them, meaning that I have no legal place in their lives. It'll just be a lot easier if I duck out now." said Kristen.

"But I need you. Mommy said that you were always there for me if she wasn't." said Mallory.

"Oh, Mal." said Kristen, softly.

"Mommy said so." said Mallory.

"Fine. If only because I can't disobey Meghan now." said Kristen.

"So, you'll come to live with us, then?" asked Brooke.

"I'll come to live with you, but only until the day I go to school. Then I've got to let you have Mal and Ethan for yourself." said Kristen.

**Durham to Tree Hill**

**July 19, 2010**

The drive to Tree Hill from Durham was silent. Kristen had the two kids strapped into their car seats, and as per usual, Ethan was asleep before they even got through Raleigh. Mallory was uncharacteristically quiet, staring out the window. After an hour, Kristen couldn't take it anymore.

"Why so talkative, Mal?" asked Kristen, looking back in the mirror.

"She's going to love me, too, right?" asked Mallory.

"Brooke? Oh, bug, she's going to love you. I bet she already does." said Kristen, watching as Mallory fiddled with the barrette in her hair.

"Mommy loved me, too. And Daddy. And Nana, and Papa, and Aunt Shay, and Uncle Will, and it didn't matter." said Mallory.

"It did matter. It matters so much. What happened to them didn't happen because love doesn't matter—it happened because they got hurt. They loved us so much that when they got to heaven, they started searching for the perfect person to help us get back on our feet—they found us Brooke. And Brooke loves us. So, love, Mal, love matters." said Kristen.

"Miss. Brooke said she had a husband, but he was gone for a week to visit his work in Los Angeles. Do you think he'll love us?" asked Mallory.

"Well, Brooke said that he loves kids, and I trust Brooke, so I'm guessing that he will." said Kristen.

"Do you think he'll read to me like Daddy?" asked Mallory.

"I have a feeling that if you asked him to, he would." said Kristen.

"And he'll dance with me on the porch, right?" asked Mallory, playing with the Velcro on her red Mary Janes.

"Well, bug, I'm not sure if Brooke and Julian have a porch, but if they do, I bet he'd dance with you on it." said Kristen, softly, remembering watching her brother-in-law dance with Mallory on his feet. Her father had done that with she, Meghan, and Shaina.

"I just want things to feel like they used to." said Mallory, sighing.

"You're lucky, Mal—it will all feel normal for you in a little while. That's the beauty of being almost three." said Kristen.

"It's even easier for Ethan—he's only a baby." said Mallory, reaching over to run her hand over the baby's head.

"That's true, and sometimes that's what makes me the saddest—Ethan won't remember that he had the greatest Mommy and Daddy ever." said Kristen.

"I will." said Mallory, softly.

"That's right. And Brooke and Julian—they have the makings of being the second-greatest Mommy and Daddy ever." said Kristen, smiling as she continued driving.

"I hope so." said Mallory, a faint smile gracing her face.

**Tree Hill, North Carolina**

**July 19, 2010**

By the time Kristen pulled into the driveway of Brooke's house, both Mallory and Ethan were fast asleep. So, as carefully as she could, Kristen scooped the baby seat out of the car with Ethan in it, carrying it over to Mallory's side. Ethan she lifted Mallory out of the seat and into her arms, so that she could carry both the little girl, and the baby in his car seat, to the front door. Setting the baby seat down and taking a deep breath, Kristen pressed the doorbell. After a few seconds of shuffling around, the door opened to reveal Brooke and Julian.

"Kristen—how was the drive?" asked Brooke, grinning as she wrapped her arms around Kristen.

"It was good. Mal, as usual, filled most of it with her constant jabber, as you'll soon find is all that she does. Ethan, the little angel that he is, mostly slept, and in the last half hour, Mal fell asleep, too." said Kristen, running a hand over the little girl's dark hair.

"I'll get the baby—come on in. Julian will go get your bags from the car." said Brooke, picking up the baby seat.

"Julian Baker—it's a pleasure to finally meet you." said Julian, extending a hand to Kristen.

"It's lovely to meet you—I heard only good things from both Brooke and the agency." said Kristen, smiling as she shook his hand after entering the house. And with that, Julian went outside to get the suitcases, leaving Kristen in the foyer with Brooke.

"I'd say we could let Mallory sleep upstairs in her room, but she'd probably be a little freaked out upon waking up in an unfamiliar place, all by herself. Would you like to set her down on the couch?" asked Brooke, pointing to the big white couch in the living room.

"That would be great—Mal's heavier than she looks." said Kristen, kissing the little girl's hair before laying her down on the couch. Reaching for the blanket, Kristen draped it neatly over the little girl.

"And this little guy I figured wouldn't realize that he was in a different place, so I figured that he could just go upstairs in the crib, and we'd listen with a baby monitor." said Brooke, scooping the baby out of the car seat, and rocking him gently.

"Yeah, Ethan is easy that way. I'll stay down here with Mal, if you take him up." said Kristen, sitting down in the chair next to the couch.

"I'll be right down." said Brooke, walking carefully to and up the stairs, gently holding the baby in her arms. As she walked down the hallway upstairs, she spoke softly to him, running her pinkie over his cheek.

"Here we are, my prince—your room." whispered Brooke as she turned the handle on the door to reveal the beautiful green nursery. On the wall, Brooke had neatly painted a beautiful white tree, and the whole room had taken on an elephant theme.

"Now, I know I haven't known you for very long at all, little man, but I already love you. You're my prince." said Brooke, kissing the boy's forehead. In his sleep, the baby sighed, to which Brooke smiled.

"Sleep well, buddy. I love you." whispered Brooke as she set him down in the crib, running the tips of her fingers over his belly. She watched him sleep for a few minutes, lazily running her pinkie over his cheek, before kissing his forehead one last time. Smiling, she turned and walked out of the room, taking the baby monitor with her. Carefully, she shut the door just enough to cancel out noise, but wide enough for her to hear, without a doubt, when the baby woke up.

She had only been a parent for fifteen minutes, but she already understood the parental feeling of constant worry.


End file.
